China's Forest Laws 661 



there are departments of forestry which supervise the timber resources. The 

 benefits accruing therefrom are very extensive. 



"China is a large country rich in natural products. The border provinces 

 contain abundant woods and forests and in the interior provinces there are 

 many places which produce timber, the only trouble being that no pains have 

 been taken to protect them, nor has the Government done anything towards 

 that end. The consequence is that lands once forested have through neglect 

 become bare and barren. A knowledge of the disasters due thereto was not, 

 however, obtained in a day or a night. It was not until the science of forestry 

 was taken up in addition to the study of agriculture that the conditions became 

 popularly understood and that merchants began forming companies for 

 obtaining and transporting lumber. It is, however, necessary that the Govern- 

 ment should make a beginning by taking steps properly to organize the work ; 

 to appoint officers to take charge of the various districts — to appoint rangers 

 or forest police; and to investigate and map the areas suitable for reforestation. 

 In a word there should be a spirit of earnestness in drawing up plans and 

 regulations in order to direct the common people towards the path of progress 

 along such lines. 



"The proposal of the Ministry, therefore, that a National Forest Service 

 should be created in the said Ministry is hereby approved, such Forest Service 

 to have control over the woods and forests of the whole country. Each 

 province shall be considered a forest district which shall be placed under an 

 officer to be appointed by the Central Government at the joint recommenda- 

 tion of the Ministry and the Civil Governor of the Province. The expenses 

 of this tentative plan shall be defrayed in accordance with the temporary 

 regulations. The aim of the work shall be the encouragement of the study of 

 forestry and the protection of whatever may tend to benefit the people. 



"The said Ministry is ordered to submit reports from time to time upon 

 progress made in order that it may be put upon record." 



With the promulgation of this Mandate the Forest Service was 

 definitely established and the formal opening took place as stated 

 above, on January 15, 1916. Subsequent developments, in par- 

 ticular the organization of the Forest Service into divisions, will 

 be dealt with separately in a later paper. 



